NARRAtives: Bien Sparks

Narra Post-Production’s Bien Sparks: Sound Designer and Re-Recording Mixer

Can you tell us your current title and summarize your day-to-day responsibilities? 

I'm an audio engineer at Narra by Wildsound Studio and I'm a re-recording mixer. Aside from mixing films and series, I mostly do dialogue edits for various projects, but I can also be tasked with doing ambience, sound effects and sometimes foley.

How does your role fit within your larger team or department?

As a sound supervisor, I make sure that the team is organized with how the flow of a project should be. I also give them insights for every assignment since no project is the same. Most of the time I encourage them to enjoy the process and appreciate the learning experience that each of the projects offer.

Could you summarize your background before joining the company? Where did you go to school? If applicable, what early jobs did you have?

I'm a graduate of BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering at Don Bosco Technical College. For a short time, I worked as a Test Hardware Engineer for Maxim Integrated and then as a Telecommunications Engineer for Globe.

“As I always say, yesterday is a newfound knowledge for today, always embrace it.”

Bien in the mix with When This Is All Over Director Kevin Mayuga

Could you summarize your background before joining the company? Where did you go to school? If applicable, what early jobs did you have?

I'm a graduate of BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering at Don Bosco Technical College. For a short time, I worked as a Test Hardware Engineer for Maxim Integrated and then as a Telecommunications Engineer for Globe.

Bien and Re-Recording Mixer Jannina Minglanilla won the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Sound Award for their work on Gomburza.

When did you start at Narra, and in what role? If you have grown or evolved in your position here, could you describe how?

I started at Narra as an ADR recordist. Aside from ADR, I was mainly assigned in Foley too. As the years passed, I was given bigger roles with the projects. I made ambience, sound effects for my re-recording mixers until I was given the chance in mixing an episode for a series during the pandemic.

Is there an aspect of your current role that you find most enjoyable or interesting?

The most interesting part of my role is that I get to see myself and my fellow engineers grow. Every project has its identity and the part where we go beyond what we currently know, it leads to a continuous improvement and this makes me happy as I always aspire to learn more. As I always say, yesterday is a newfound knowledge for today, always embrace it.

Are there specific artists or creatives who have influenced your work or served as inspirations throughout your career?'

"Sino ang nakakaalam kung totoo o hindi ang inuungkat mo? — Mararamdaman mo naman yun diba kung ano yung totoo." ("Who knows whether what you're bringing up is true or not? — You'll feel it anyway, right, what's true.") These are my favorite lines from Director Jason Orfalas' film, "Ang Huling  Gitarista" and I always associate it when I do sound design for our projects. I was an ADR Recordist during that time and he was discussing how sound could help the film's intentions and how it could enhance the audience's film experience by making our eyes see more than what is on the screen by using auditory components. His insights made me enjoy the collaborative effect that happens between the film's visuals and sound.

Bien with Gomburza Director Pepe Diokno

Can you describe a project you've worked on that you're particularly proud of, and what made it stand out for you?

There are two particular films that I'm really grateful and proud to be a part of and that would be Joey de Guzman's Day Zero and Pepe Diokno's GOMBURZA. Day zero made me appreciate how amazingly fun, vast, and flexible sound can be in building a film's soundscape; picture this, a 6-foot man mowing down a zombie horde with his knife, guns and bare hands, altogether with the film's adrenaline-filled cuts and you have a glorious fight sequences. 

As for GOMBURZA, it was the most challenging project that I've been on. Apart being meticulous, we also utilized the immersive experience Dolby Atmos could bring to the mix. This enabled the sound design to be incredibly cohesive with Direk Pepe Diokno's vision for the film's emotions and intentions. And I'm really proud that I'm a part of the team that pulled it off.

Outside of work, do you have any personal creative projects or hobbies that you love doing?
I dont have any creative projects outside work but I really enjoy playing DotA 2 with my friends as a hobby. The enjoyment and stress you have with your friends from an eight or more game lose streak is surreal.